Tea Time.

Originally I tried these at Starbucks, so of course I had to recreate the delicious snack. Oddly enough, Gabe hates scones for their "dry, powdery texture," but he loves these ones.

Orange Chocolate Chip Scones
Ingredients:

• 3 c. flour (more if needed)
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1/2 c. dark chocolate chips
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. orange zest
• 1/2 c. butter
• 1/3 c. milk
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 c. orange juice
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Butter two pie tins.
3. In a large bowl, combine first seven ingredients, then cut in the butter until a coarse meal.
4. In a separate bowl, combine milk, egg, juice, and vanilla extract.
5. Pour liquid into dry ingredients, then mix with hands until thoroughly mixed, if it continues to stick to your hands, mix in a little more flour until it doesn't stick.
6. On a floured surface, knead dough about 5 times, then roll it out till 3/4" thick, split into two equally sections and press into pie tins.
7. Bake for 15-18 minutes.

Orange Glaze

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
• 1 tbsp. orange zest
• Fresh orange juice

Directions:

1. Whisk all ingredients together, adding juice for preferred consistency.

Something Other Than Sleep.

Recently I have been having a lot of medical issues; I've been in and out of the doctors, put on pain medications that make me sleep, and anxiously awaiting diagnosis from my doctor. Unfortunately for Gabe I haven't really been up to cooking lately, actually I haven't been up for much, so last night I decided that we had to eat something other than Domino's and Love Love Teriyaki. Since Gabe and I have been trying to eat more fresh produce, I decided to take a boring meatloaf recipe and spice it up.

Meatloaf and mashed potatoes.

The meatloaf turned out moist and perfectly cooked, and mashed potatoes really brought the meal together. It was a perfect 'stick to the ribs' kind of meal! Best part it was prepared in about 15 minutes.

Uptown Meatloaf

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 1/2 c. bread crumbs
• 1/2 c. fresh parsley, chopped
• Fresh mozzarella, cubed
• 1/2 medium onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 oz. (about 1/2 c.) sundried tomatoes
• 1/2 c. ketchup
• Splash of white wine (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients then mix with your hands.
3. Place mixture into pan and spread evenly, then roll both sides in jelly-roll style.
4. Bake for 1 hour, then remove and turn off oven, sprinkle cheese of choice over the top (I picked Parmesan), then place back in the oven till cheese is slightly melted.

Dad's Recipe.

Lately I have felt a been missing home like crazy. I blame my dad's sweet messages about an empty nest and how much he misses and loves me. Then of course there's my mom, she is always checking in to see how I'm doing and remind me she's always there for me; it just makes me realize being independent wouldn't be quite as easy as ripping off a bandage. So in my crazy attempts to feel at home in my new house, including hanging pictures, putting things where I want them, I realized I needed a good, heart-warming meal. This was one of my dad's two out-of-the-box meals, and it was always something I loved having. Out of desperation for a reminder of home, I decided to make this classic meal.

Italian Chicken:

Ingredients:

• 2-4 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
• 1 bottle Italian dressing
• 1 Ziploc bag
• 4 mushrooms
• 1/2 tsp. minced garlic
• 1/4 c. white onion, diced
• Spinach
• Bread crumbs (Progresso Italian Herb)
• Parmesan or Mozzarella

Directions:

1. Put chicken into the Ziploc bag, pour Italian dressing into the bag until it covers the chicken, then seal.
2. Marinade chicken for at least one hour, the longer it marinades the stronger the flavor, I usually do mine overnight and prep it while making the previous nights dinner.
3. When ready to cook, preheat oven to 375.
4. Pour the contents of the bag into an 8x8 pan.
5. Put the garlic, onions, and mushrooms around the edges of the chicken. Then sprinkle the top of the chicken with bread crumbs.
6. Cook for 30 mins. Then flip chicken and sprinkle bread crumbs over the other side, put back into the oven and cook for 25 mins.
7. Remove and sprinkle cheese over the top, then put back into the oven for a remaining 5 mins, or until cheese is melted. I usually turn the oven off at this point.
8. Serve over spinach, and enjoy.

Missing Home.

When I was in high school I was a professional couch-hopper. Always wanting to be out and about, I made it a goal to avoid my house, and I was pretty dang good at it. Between picking the most time demanding sports, hanging out with friends, and actually going to school, I usually just used my parents house for sleeping and snacking. I truly never understood when my parents would tell me that someday all I would want is to be home.
That was until now. Mind you, I love helping people, and I knew Gabe's parents needed us to be there for them, which I didn't mind at all. However, I have to give it up to my parents, they really hit it on the nose. It has been six days since I have been able to sleep in my bed, cook dinner in my kitchen, and take a shower at my house, and I absolutely miss it. Even though Gabe and I have only been living there for a little over a month, it has become our home.
So after thoroughly cleaning his parents house, I am now able to sit down and blog about my first weekend alone, which was surprisingly not very lonely. As I mentioned in my earlier post, my weekend started with a lack of sleep, breakfast with some family, and rushing to Gabe's parents so they could leave for Darren's, Gabe's step-father's, surgeon five hours away. After they left, and I was sitting in their large house alone, I was just thinking about the list of to-do's I had set-up for my weekend that would now be put off. So I grabbed the piles of laundry from my car and started in on the only housecleaning I would be able to do this weekend for myself. That night I slept in between two chihuahuas, a boxer, and a dachshund; leaving only one dog in its own bed, and a small space for me to squeeze in. With Phoebe, the boxer, snoring and taking up most of the bed, I almost felt like Gabe was still there.
The next morning, Gabe's mom, Anita, texted me to tell me her sisters are on their way from California to come stay with her in Washington while Darren was in surgery; also that they would stay the night with me that night, so I wouldn't be alone. All I could think was, "Oh god! I have to meet new people, Gabe's aunts, all by myself!" and, "She is such a mom..." When they finally arrived that night around eleven, they were quite a shock, immediately embracing me in hugs and talking up a storm. It was like seeing what people must see when my sisters and I are together; as Gabe would put it, a bomb could go off beside us, and we wouldn't hear it. After they indulged in a shot of whiskey each, we all parted and went to bed.
The next morning around four, I could hear them leaving, trying to get an early start on their long drive. I drifted back to sleep, knowing full well I'm not a morning person and I wouldn't be cheerful out of that warm bed. All of Sunday, I was sitting on pins and needles waiting for Gabe to arrive, and when he finally did, I can't explain how excited I was. He looked so dashing in his military uniform, and it's true, absence makes the heart grow fonder. He gave me a deep, caring kiss, and then we were off to McDonald's. Since then, we still haven't been able to go home, other than my quick stop by to meet my sister and her kids for a shopping trip and some closet raiding. We've been waiting for more information on Darren's emergency surgery, and how much longer they'd be staying there. Finally, the doctors figured out that he had contracted Staph from the dogs, which is common when you have a low immune system and lots of dogs, and that they would be home tonight, which means Gabe and I get to sleep in our own bed tonight. To put the cherry on top, I get to be pampered for the second night in a row and Gabe is cooking for me; last night it was steak, salad, and garlic bread, so I'm excited to see what's on the table tonight.

My Chi, Benji. Their boxer, Phoebe; Chi, Daisy; and dachshund, Cinco.

The First Weekend Alone

There are so many women, and men, who can relate to their first night alone in a new place; the worry, the fear, that tinge of excitement, it's all very stressful. Tonight's the night, after a horrible night's sleep last night, and Gabe getting up at two in the morning to get ready for drill and leaving an hour later, I have the house to myself. So what's the first thing I do? Well, I try to go back to sleep, unfortunately that wasn't a success until around four in the morning.

Suddenly I'm jolted from my dreams at seven by my phone going off, it was my dad. I immediately answer, and he laughs, knowing he woke me up, then asks if I want to go to breakfast in an hour with my oldest sister, her boyfriend, and him. I thought it over then sleepily agreed; slowly I dragged myself from bed and stretched my limbs, I really wanted to go back to sleep, but I missed seeing my dad, so I got myself together and clambered into my car. It was great catching up with everyone, and I am truly blessed to have my family so close to me, but the time came that we all parted our ways. I headed home with expectations to pass out into a food comma, and then get up and do some housework, oh but I was so mistaken.

I slipped back into my pajama's and into bed, the dog cuddling with me, and I'm just about to fall asleep when my phone rings once again. Through half-opened eyes, I look to see who it is, and to my surprise it's Gabe's mom. As soon as I answer I can tell something is off in her voice, she's asking me if Gabe had already left for drill, and if he'd be coming home, and if I was home, I tentatively answered her questions, hoping she would tell me what's going on. Then she explained that her husband had a nasty infection in his elbow, which he had just gotten replaced, and that she needed to take him to his surgeon out-of-state. Now Gabe and I had been living with them previous to our move into the new apartment, so I knew what she was asking for; her and her husband had five dogs, which all were on a strict scheduled diet and some on medications, and they couldn't take them all on their five hour drive. She apologized for the inconvenience and assured me they would take the dog that needed shots, knowing that I can't handle needles, so I agreed.

An hour later I was back in my car, with my laundry, dog, and books in tote. I arrived to a warm hug and a lot of excited dogs. This weekend wasn't at all what I planned, but I don't mind waving goodbye to my first weekend alone in my apartment and saying hello to my dogs-only weekend at Gabe's mom's house. Sometimes being an adult can be a lot of work, but being there for family triumphs the stress and the lack of sleep.

What Do I Have?

Now we've all been in those moods, the one were you are kind of hungry, but don't want to cook, and your man is asking what's for dinner. Now luckily I don't work as much as Gabe, so I have time during the day to prep food, clean house, walk the dog, etc. But there are those days when I wake up late, I'm groggy, and I have zero ambition to do anything, especially housework. He's very understanding and doesn't mind coming home to see me lounging in my pajamas, and most of those kinds of nights we either order Domino's or he'll step into the kitchen and whip something up that will feed us for day's to come.
However, tonight I decided that even though I wasn't in the mood to cook, I'd put on my big girl panties and get in that kitchen. Mind you it was close to ten o'clock by the time dinner was on the table, due to my procrastination and trying to get all the attention I could before he left in the morning for drill. As soon as I walked into my small kitchen, I decided that dinner wasn't going to be anything fancy, but it would do the job and fill our bellies. Recently I have been trying a lot of new recipes, mostly because I have the freedom to, and Gabe will eat whatever I put in front of him; and trust me I've tested that limit with my horrible attempt at teriyaki chicken and white rice; and the sweet man ate everything on his plate while lying through his teeth telling me, "It's not that bad, babe."
Hoping tonight's last minute dinner wouldn't turn out quite as terrible as that attempt, I tried to channel my step-mom's famous last minute casseroles. Her motto was simple, you have everything you need in the cupboards, and she was right. Sometimes the simplest meals can taste the most satisfying, it's all in the heart you put into it. So I searched my cupboards for what I was going to scrape together.

Cupboard Casserole:
Ingredients:

• Mashed potatoes mix (I used Idahoan Applewood Smoked Bacon)
• 1 can green beans
• 1 lb ground beef (I always have some stocked in the freezer)
• 1 Zucchini, sliced
• 4 mushrooms, sliced
• Minced garlic (which is a great thing to keep on hand)
• Oil (I used Grapeseed, but any works)
• Cheese (I used Mexican Style Shredded, but whatever you have on hand)
• Bread Crumbs (Progresso Italian Style)
• Seasonings (I used Johnny's Seasoning Salt and Johnny's Garlic Salt)
• 1 can Campbell's Cheddar Cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Following the directions on the packet, make the mashed potatoes. I used the microwave because it's quicker, and they come out much more moist.
3. When the potatoes are finished cooking, press into the bottom of an 8x8 pan and set aside.
4. In a skillet, cook the thawed beef over medium-high heat until brown, seasoning to your taste.
5. When meat is thoroughly cooked, drain of grease and put meat over the mashed potatoes.
6. Pour canned cheese over the meat, and with a rubber spatula, combine.
7. In a separate skillet, pour about a tablespoon of oil and a 1/4 of a teaspoon minced garlic into the pan, and over medium-high heat cook the sliced zucchini and garlic. You may need to add more oil as you go.
8. After about a minute or two, add the sliced mushrooms and another 1/4 of a teaspoon garlic (I'm a huge garlic fan, so add to your own liking) into the pan.
9. Once both the zucchini and mushrooms have softened remove from heat, and spread into the casserole dish.
10. Empty the can of green beans into the skillet and cook for about a minute. Then place on the top mushrooms and zucchini. Season to your liking.
11. Dust the entire casserole with bread crumbs and cheese and cook for 10-15 minutes in the oven, or until cheese on top is melted.

Thank goodness, this turned out to be a great dish, and even though I'm sure it's not the healthiest meal, I will probably be making it on my next lazy night.

Snacking? We're Pros.

Gabe works hard, like eight and a half hours a day, then goes to school full-time. So I decided to be a Suzy-homemaker and make something that will give him the little boosts he needs to work on his homework, or to eat in the car on his way to work. I searched high and low for recipes that included the ingredients I had on hand, or could pick up from the local Fred Meyer, and finally I came up with this healthy treat.
Update: These were a huge hit, and Gabe requested I make more. Yay!

Healthy Oats Bar:
Ingredients:

• 1/2 c. melted butter
• 1 egg
• 1/3 c. brown sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 c. flour
• 1/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 3/4 c. dried cranberries
• 3/4 c. peanuts (or nuts of choice)
• 3/4 c. old-fashioned rolled oats
• 3/4 c. peanut butter
• 1/2 c. white chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease a 9x13 pan, I used Grapeseed oil, but any kind will work.
3. In a bowl, microwave butter till thoroughly melted. Then add the egg, brown sugar, peanut butter, and vanilla extract. Mix on low-medium speed.
4. In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon.
5. Combine flour mixture with butter mixture, then add dried cranberries, peanuts, white chocolate chips, and oats, mix on low-medium until thoroughly combined.
6. Bake in preheated oven for 13-15 minutes, the top should dry, and the edges slightly pull away from the sides of the pan. Wait until it cooled to cut into.

Recent Activities

These sisters danced their butts off! Kickin' it Alumni style!

Happy Easter :)

We got to have Cassie's kids for the day; we had a blast, and so did the kids. Ava really took to Gabe!

What Makes A Good Drink Better? Vodka!

Coming from a big family that always seemed to have guests over, I cooked meals that could feed a herd. So when Gabe and I moved into our new apartment I realized I'd be cooking for just the two of us and I really needed to cut my recipes way down. So this page is dedicated to all my recipes.
Tonight I decided to make a special drink just for kicks, and it turned out to be a huge hit!

picture courtesy of livelovepasta.com

Berry Vodka Lemonade:
Ingredients:

• 2 c. fresh strawberries
• 8 c. water
• 1 c. sugar
• 1 c. fresh lemon juice (about 5 lemons)
• 1 tbsp. raspberry flavoring (optional)
• 1 c. whipped cream vodka (optional)
• ice cubes
• blender and pitcher

Directions:

1. In a saucepan, put one cup water and the cup sugar while heating over medium, this creates a simple syrup.
2. Put the strawberries and a cup of water into the blender and puree.
3. Pour the syrup and puree into the pitcher, along with the six cups of water, raspberry flavoring, vodka,  and lemon juice.
4. Pour over ice and enjoy responsibly.

Just a Spritz.

Gabe has been complaining about his dry skin for about two months now, and I feel like we've tried everything. From changing his body wash, originally Axe, then to Old Spice  then Dove Men's, and now finally we switch between Dr. Bronner Pure Castile Soap and Burt's Radiance Exfoliating Body Wash. We have been very happy with our natural products, for they have eased the irritation and itching a bit.

However, being a girl who has a beauty regimen, I knew washing wouldn't make it better, he also needed to moisturizer. That was another product search, which ended in a lot of unhappy results. He hated the greasy feeling, over-bearing scents, and he always ended up itching again. Our best results came from an aloe vera lotion, but we had to stop using it, because it had hemp in it, which he informed me traces can come up their monthly National Guard drug tests. So we could only use it part of the month, as well as the Dr. Bronner's Castile Soap. Finally, after spending an outrageous amount of money in lotions, I decided to make my own. Which ended up costing under a dollar each bottle!

Now Gabe is a muscular guy with broad shoulders, and he can't reach his back because of it, so I decided that a homemade spray lotion would be perfect for him, and after hours of research, this is what I came up with.

Non-Greasy Moisturizing Spray

Ingredients:

• ¼ c. distilled or filtered water
• 1 ½ tsp. pure glycerin (I got mine at Wal-Mart)
• 1 tsp. grapeseed, sweet almond, or hazelnut oil (I prefer grapeseed, also at Wal-Mart, others at Fred Meyers)
• 4-5 drops Vitamin E Oil (Wal-Mart)
• 8-10 drops essential oil of your choice (optional)
• Bottle (at least 3 oz.)

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients, and carefully pour into bottle. Makes about 3 ounces each, and will keep for several weeks.
2. Shake well before each use.
3. Spray liberally all over body, especially after showering or bathing. Rub in if needed.

Variations:

• Substituting rose water, an herbal tea, or pure aloe vera gel (without thickening additives) in place of water.
• Tea tree and lavender essential oils mix well for moisturizers.

A Twist on the Classic Bacon & Eggs

Like I've said, Gabe works hard. He's up at four in the morning, and out the door to work by five-forty every morning. He takes a much longer approach to mornings then I do. Were he would get up, make coffee and breakfast, take the dog out, and kiss me goodbye, I would get up twenty minutes before I leave, scrambling out of bed, brushing my teeth, and hoping yesterdays make-up looks good enough while yelling 'I love you,' and running down the stairs with my shoes in my hand. When he gets to work, he busts butt all day till he gets off at two-thirty in the afternoon. I however, have the most mindless job in the world, forgive me Costco for I appreciate the paychecks, but honestly, serving samples all day isn't as much fun as it sounds, and it doesn't sound fun.
When I get home, it's already late, and I'm tired of talking to people, so I usually munch on something and relax. When Gabe gets home, he has to start his homework immediately and switch from work mode into school mode. That poor man works from the time he wakes up, until the time he logs off his online courses for the night. So in an attempt to help him lessen his list of to-dos, I decided to make some freezer breakfasts for him, it needed to be something he could just warm up in the microwave and enjoy. I finally found some great recipes for bacon and eggs, and breakfast burritos, and decided to share them.

Bacon Egg Cups: 
Ingredients:

• 8 eggs
• 12 slices of bacon
• Milk
• Seasonings (I choose Johnny's Seasoning Salt)
• Cheese (Chedder or Mexican Style Shredded)
• Oil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Spray each well in the cupcake tin with cooking oil, or rub with oil (Don't forget this step, I forgot and I'm still trying to clean my tin. Also I am going to experiment and see how doing it in a cupcake liners, I'll let you know how it goes.)
3. Wrap one piece of bacon in each well, starting by covering the bottom then going around the sides.
4. In a bowl, whip the eggs, a splash of milk, and the seasonings together with a fork.
5. Pour the egg mixture into each well, filling it about 3/4 full and sprinkle cheese over the top.
6. Then bake for 30-35 minutes.

The First Month

I have to admit, I knew I had a lot of stuff, but my lord I didn't know I had that much stuff. Between clothing, furniture, high school memorabilia, and books, I could have filled an apartment just from the stuff  I stocked in my room. Of course, I did still need to collect some of the major luxuries like a couch, a television, and my man's dream computer; but we focused on gathering the little necessities also, like dishes, tuberware, and food. Nevertheless, even when you feel like you've gathered all the things you can think of, you always end up making several more trips to the store for random things like a cupcake tin or a light bulbs, it's just inevitable.
Then there was the annoying list of to-dos, like changing your mailing address, running back and forth to fit everything into your tiny car, and if you're like me doing a very thorough cleanse of the apartment. My boyfriend laughed and told me they clean the apartments before we moved in, but I insisted on cleaning the shower before we jumped in and the counters before we cooked, and just as I feared it was dirty. Then we had other things to worry about, like a couch; we were a little tired of sitting on the floor to watch TV,  so we searched Craigslist for free furniture and found something we liked. Unfortunately, the lady that was giving it away apparently didn't know how to clean her couch; it was stained and covered in dog hair. So I did a simple vinegar wash after vacuuming both the chair and couch. There are still a few stains, but the hair is now only from our dog, and the baking soda under the cushions took away the smell of dog.
Now my man needs about as much attention and compassion as a rock, but then there's me, I love attention, and I need compassion, and even though we had a big personality difference, he gives me the time of day and I try to give him all the little things he didn't know he was missing. I try to cook and clean, and keep up the house while he's off at work, and vice versa. We enjoy relaxing at home, food, and watching movies; we also both love our games, him much more than I, but we manage our time well, and make sure we both have time together. So far we are very happy in our new home, and the only thing we have to manage is our small kitchen space and not becoming to comfortable.
Enjoy my recipes, exercises, home management, and natural alternatives! :)

Even our little man is all tuckered out from the move.

Orange You Glad You Saw This?

Here's a sneak peak into my all-time favorite breakfast food, french toast! So after trying it a million times all I could think was, "Umm, how do I make this even better?" Now don't you dare click away and assume you know everything about french toast, cause trust me, you don't. This is the most magical french toast recipe you'll ever try, and don't let other people try to help, cause even though their intentions are solid, they also don't know this wonderful experience yet, and will just get in the way.

The first time I did the usual experimentation, adding nutmeg, vanilla extract, etc. Then I stumbled upon orange extract in someone's cupboard and decided "What the hell." And as soon as that first piece hit my mouth, I knew I was never going back to the old ways. Now I don't usually have orange extract just laying around, and it's not quite as easy to come by as vanilla, so I decided to take an idea from another recipe and apply it here. In my Orange-Chocolate Scones (which I will get around to posting), I use a little orange juice and some grated orange peel for zest, and it worked exactly the same for this. Hopefully you'll find as much enjoyment out of this magnificent recipe as I did.

French Toast with Orange Zest

Ingredients:

• 4-5 slices of toast (Texas Toast is the best)
• 4 eggs
• Half&Half, or milk
• 1 orange
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1tsp. sugar
• Maple Syrup
• Butter

Directions:

1. Grate about a tablespoon of the orange rind, then cut open and using either a a juicer or a fork, collect the juice from the orange in a small bowl.
2. Then in a medium bowl, combine with a fork the eggs, the orange rind and juice, vanilla extract, a splash of half&half, and the sugar and cinnamon.
3. Put the skillet on the stove, and melt the butter over medium heat. Don't get impatient and turn it up on high either, or it won't taste the same.
4. Dip each slice into the egg mixture and put them on the skillet, flip to cook both sides.
5. Serve with warmed up maple syrup and enjoy!

Family Pictures

My mom, me, my sisters Krisi and Cassie.
They came to watch me cheer my senior year at a football game.

Krisi, me, Eli (Cassie's husband), Landen in the car, Cassie (pregnant with Ava), and Angie.
We were on our yearly vacation together, and of course took our sisters picture.

Vanessa (my step-mom), me, and my dad.
This was after I danced my senior year exhibition.

Daddy's little girl.
My last exhibition before my last state. Senior year dance team.

My mom and I after I danced exhibition.

Another sisters picture, after my high school graduation.
Angie (the oldest), Krisi (second oldest), me (the baby), and Cassie (third oldest).